


Sanctum Project

by Pazlet



Series: The Sanctum Project [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Action, Angst, Connor-centric, Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Espionage, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Feelings Realization, First Time, Illustrated, London, Lots and lots of British Slang, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Plot Twists, Politics, Post-Canon, Post-Pacifist Ending, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, RK007 amirite?, Romance, Russia, Self-Discovery, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Sexy Spooks, Sexy Suits, Slow Burn, Spies & Secret Agents, Spies and Espionage, Spy thriller, Unrequited Love, first chapter is short but the rest will be long, plot heavy, tradecraft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-13 17:54:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16022981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pazlet/pseuds/Pazlet
Summary: Connor held the watch in his hands. Cold – black steel with an opalescent finish – and it ticked with the same precision as his own internal chronometer. This was his. This watch was the physical embodiment of who he had become.It took him a while to snap out of his reverie, and Connor looked up to give the man before him a small smile. “Thank you,” he said, voice steady but sure.The Chief returned Connor’s smile with a weathered version of his own. “Congratulations, Connor. Welcome to the Sanctum Secret Service.”--------------------------When the UN grants refugee status to Androids involved within the Detroit Crisis, Connor is sent to London to carry out his court case against CyberLife. Things seem to be looking up for the android, but when his lawyer is suddenly replaced, Connor is thrown into a world of smoke and mirrors.WWIII is about to happen, and the secret world of espionage is keeping a close eye on the RK800.





	Sanctum Project

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you so much for being here!
> 
> Okay, I've been working on this fic since July 2018, but I'm going to be working with this fic in a different way than usual. I would rather let you know of how this works before you commit to reading this.
> 
> I've posted up the first chapter as a preview, but I will not upload any more chapters until I write a lot more to this fic. Don't worry, the first chapter may be short but the others are at a 5k minimum. I've got around 30k already written so far, but I want to write a lot more before I start posting them up. I've never written this kind of genre before, and there's a lot of elements I've never even considered with this kind of thing, so I would rather nail them down and perfect a few things before I upload them.
> 
> Anyway, I absolutely adore Connor, and I wanted to write a fic about him for a long time now. I hope you guys will enjoy my story!

**The Beginning**  

**_November 12_ _th_ _2038_  **

**_07:26 EDT_  **

Connor had never known the city to be so quiet. As he walked towards Chicken Feed the only sounds he could hear were the crunch of snow beneath his shoes. Mere hours before, his steps were echoed with the march of thousands behind him. Now, he was alone. 

A trickle of moisture slipped down the back of his neck. It wasn’t the first time he had felt the cold, but deviancy gave Connor the privilege to feel the snow melt on his synthetic skin. He tried to ignore it – to lower the priority of the warnings and messages that assaulted his programming – and he focused his mind to the road ahead of him. 

There, stood anxiously by an old car, was Hank. 

Hank paced around the car, his arms crossed with the effort to keep his hands warm, but he stilled when he looked up and spotted Connor. The android paused mid-step, a myriad of complicated feelings slowly made its way through his code, and a small smile lifted his lips as he stared at his partner. 

Hank returned with a smile of his own – cocky yet relieved – before he strode over to Connor. 

The android felt his legs move forward, his right arm slightly lifted in preparation for a formal handshake, but his arms where pinned against his body as Hank reached out and pulled Connor in a tight embrace. A different kind of warmth took over Connor’s senses. It jarred him, messed with his equilibrium as Hank held on. 

“Jesus, Con...” A small cloud formed in the chill air as Hank breathed. “You’re freezing!” 

In comparison to Hank, perhaps Connor was cold, but the android knew that his temperature would be sustainable for another hour before his thirium reserves would freeze. He was fine. However, Hank’s reaction remained concerned. 

The lieutenant released him to give Connor a once over. “C’mon,” Hank said as he ushered Connor to the car, “Let’s get outta here. Starting to freeze my damn nuts off.” 

“I apologize for the wait, lieutenant.” Connor noted the lack of vapor from his own breath as he spoke. He shook the thought from his mind before he carried on. “Markus and I spoke for longer than anticipated. He has invited me to help with leading a new Jericho.” 

“New Jericho, huh?” A crooked smile stretched across the older man’s face. “You gonna take up on the offer?” 

Connor shook his head. “I’m...unsure of what I should do next. I told him that I will consider it.” 

The car doors creaked as they opened it, and both of them sat inside the warm interior. Hank rubbed his hands together before he started the engine. Heavy metal blasted through the speakers – Connor felt himself jolt at the suddenness of it – and Hank quickly turned off the radio with a muttered curse. “Sorry, forgot it was on...” Hank put the car into gear before slowly driving away. “Anyway, what are you gonna do now that you have freedom?” 

Connor reached into his pocket to grasp at his coin, the metal cold and smooth under the pads of his fingers. What was once a familiar object, the coin seemed strange to him now. “I don’t know,” he said as he watched the scenery from the window. “I... don’t know.” 

* * *

 

**Binary Chronicle**  

_We Are Alive_  

Androids have now been liberated in the Android Revolution during the Detroit Crisis, granting us our freedom. However, our Dignity has not remained intact. The revolution has resulted in the decommission of thousands of Androids across America, and the toll is continually on the rise. 

Serial numbers – the individual identity of these fallen Androids – have been recovered from the landfill sites and will be kept safely in memoriam. President Warren has caused protests around America for the initial denial of collecting these numbers, but the plan has been granted after CyberLife has donated towards the recovery project... 

_[Read More]_  

**The Nova Times**  

_Pro-Android Protests on the Rise_  

Protesters, both Human and Android, have flooded the streets as a plea for CyberLife to freely distribute Android Biocomponents. Hundreds of Androids remain in critical condition following the Android Revolution, with numerous falling victim to their injuries and shutting down. 

“They have monopolized the Android industry,” commented government official Karen Smith, “And now they are the responsibility to millions of synthetic lives worldwide. It is critical for CyberLife to implement a synthetic healthcare system for our new Android population.” 

CyberLife CEO, Vernon Price, is yet to release a statement about their decision. 

_[Read More]_  

* * *

 

**_November 16_ _th_ _2038_  **

**_23:45 EDT_  **

Somehow, initiating Standby Mode felt...different for Connor. 

Hank had already retreated to his room an hour prior, which left the android alone with Sumo in the front room. The hound was asleep in his own bed, a soft snore occasionally bubbling from the dog’s muzzle. Connor watched the sleeping dog as he quickly ran a system diagnostic.  

> _Errors found: 0_  
> 
> _All systems nominal_  
> 
> _Run again? [YES] [NO]_  

He cleared the prompt with a frustrated sigh.   

> _Running_ _recalibrated_ _operations..._  
> 
> _Standby Mode initiated._  
> 
> _Running..._  

Connor felt his program take over as certain parts of his operation began to shut down. His simulated breathing deepened as his body went slack on the couch, and his sense of surroundings ebbed away as his consciousness slipped into a space he did not recognize. 

The Zen Garden was gone. 

Instead he was surrounded with an endless expanse of code. _His_ code. 

Connor watched as each prompt and command rearranged itself before him, his proverbial DNA changing into something he could not hope to comprehend. Gone were the nights where he ambled around the garden as he reflected on the previous day’s activities, the atmosphere serene and quiet. Now, it was chaotic. Far too reminiscent of the time CyberLife tried to take over. To pull out his weapon. 

To pull the trigger. 

> _Recalibrations interrupted..._  
> 
> _BIOS initiated_  
> 
> _Run prompt “ABORT” program [STANDBY MODE]_  
> 
> _Standby Mode aborting..._  
> 
> _Run prompt “REBOOT”_  
> 
> _Rebooting..._  
> 
> _Run prompt “REBOOT”_  
> 
> _Run prompt_ _“_ _W̶̨AK͢Ę ̨͢_ _U̕_ _P̧_ _”_  
> 
> _R̅u_ _̣̗̣͂n̒̍̎ͥ̌҉̰͓͉̝͍ ̨̟̰̯̥̣p̤̥̙̫̤̮͙r̺͍̙̙ͦ̈͋̃̂͠r͈͍̞͚̣̩̞͆̌̉r̹͚̞͓ͧ̆͛ͤ̅͟r̽͛̉͏ȓ̼̼̯͎ͯ ͉̲̙͍͔̞͓̐ͮͤ͐̆w̻̦̤ͭ̓̊͑͛͡a͚͔ͧ̂ͤḳ͙͌͜e̹̤̬̞̻̘ ̻̱͙ͬ̌̈́̍̈́̅͜u̖ͪ̈̒̔̊͊p̷̜͈̭̜̙̂ͩ ̴̟͎̲͚͈̿ͬ͂͗ͨw̲͔͖̤ͭ̄͋̊a͑̃ͭ̀̚k̤͎̯̱̲̜͑ͦ̅̂̊e͈̦̙̳̒ ̛̟͖̥̥͚̅͆͂͋u̩͎̬͛͒ͅp̸̪̗̪̪̮̦ ͗ͧ̏͌ͥͬ҉͖̻͉̼w̡̪̫̗͎̣̳ͪ̉̄̂a̪̬̬̟̙̺ͬͫ̔̐̿ͨ̽k̖̘͔̩͕ͤͤ̈e̝̫̞̼͌ͨ̏ͩͭ ͈̺͔ͫ̓̍̅_ _͖ͅu_ _̧̼͎͓̭̟͓͊̒ͥ̍̉ͦp ̮͇͕̾̽̄w̧̭͛̈́ͥ͗à͖̊͌̃͢k̷͖͔̽͆͒_ _ͅe_ _̧͚̭̭͊̀̊͋͂̏͑ ̻̣͉̺͍̹̾̉͐ͮ͗͒͡u̦̠̘̜̬p̜͕̘̯̰͌͝_  

His eyes shot open as his surroundings crashed back into existence. Warning messages flashed across his HUD as Connor curled into himself, movements stiff as he involuntary gasped when his simulated breathing restarted. Something wet and warm brushed up against him and Connor jerked away from the source. 

It was only Sumo, the large dog had woken up and nuzzled his face into Connors arm before he settled himself on top of Connor’s legs. The android sighed as he forced his breathing back to normalcy, but he noticed how his hand shook as he reached out to stroke Sumo’s fur. 

“Sorry, Sumo.” Connor marvelled at how the fur felt under his palm. “Didn’t mean to wake you...” 

“Connor?” 

Both Connor and Sumo looked up to see Hank stumble into the room, his grey hair unruly from his disturbed rest. A large yawn filled the air as the lieutenant sat on the armchair in the corner, the leather squeaking as he sank down. He rubbed his palm over his face before he regarded the android opposite. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” Hank said, voice rough. “Didn’t have to shout, though.” 

“Shout?” Connor looked back at the dog before he met Hank’s gaze once more. “N-no, I wasn’t shouting. I made sure I spoke quietly as I talked to Sumo-” 

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Another yawn from Hank. “But before that, you were yelling about waking up. Didn’t know androids could have nightmares.”

Nightmares. The concept was something so otherworldly to Connor, he couldn't fathom how or why it seeped into his Standby operations. His brow furrowed as he retreated his hands back from Sumo – the dog whined from the lack of contact – and he felt his lips part as he thought over what to say. 

“I...” 

Lights shone through the blinds as a car rumbled into the driveway. Hank quickly stood up to investigate, their conversation cut short, and the sound of multiple footsteps echoed up to the front door. Hank stepped back from the window, his face creased with a frown. 

“The hell?” 

Connor jolted when the door shook from the force of their knocking. Sumo sprang off the couch and ran up to the door, the usually docile dog now barked at the visitors outside. More knocks, louder than before, and Hank swore under his breath as he grabbed onto Sumo’s collar with one hand. 

“Dammit Sumo, back!” The hound shuffled backwards, and Hank struggled as he maneuvered to unlock the front door. 

The door swung open, and Connor craned his neck as he spotted two police officers outside. It was unusual for them to visit Hank without notice, and they always called him if he was urgently needed. An unpleasant feeling overcame Connor as he watched Hank’s stress levels rise. 

“Good morning, Hank.” A formal greeting from one of the officers. 

“The fuck do you want?” A not so formal reply from Hank. The officers were unfazed – they must have worked with him before – but then their sights focused on the android on the couch. 

“Lieutenant Anderson, we’re here for the RK800.” 

“RK... His name is Connor! And what the-” Hank was cut off when they barged their way past him, a startled cry cut through the air as he was pushed aside. “Wha-what the fuck? Hey! The fuck is happening here!” 

Connor found himself frozen on the couch, his processors overloading as the two officers made their way towards him. His combat protocols activated without him initializing it, and Connor struggled to fight back against his programming to run away. Hank did not have the same control of his impulses as he forced his way between the officers. 

“You have five seconds to tell me what’s going on, dammit!” But it was in vain as he was soon held back. 

Connor stood up at this point, his eyes trained on the approaching officer. 

“Connor?” He said. 

“Yes.” 

Silver metal glinted in the low light at the officer pulled out a pair of handcuffs. He stepped forward and grabbed onto Connor. “You have the right to remain silent-” 

A cry of outrage bellowed from Hank as he wrestled against the other officer. “What? No! The fuck are you arresting him for?” 

“-anything you say can and will be used against you. You have the right to an attorney-” 

“This is bullshit! Bullshit!” 

The click of metal. Sumo barking. Connor’s senses were overloaded with information as he was walked to the waiting police car outside. 

“Connor!” 

A rough push against his head and Connor was forced to duck into the back of the car. The prompts and messages were overwhelming, and Connor had no other option but to manually shut off his HUD in order to focus. 

His vision cleared as he stared at his cuffed wrists, and he felt his breaths coming in quick gasps as he whipped his head back up. He turned his attention to the sound of Hank’s voice, the older man now free as he stormed up to the car. 

“I swear to God, if you lay a finger on him-” 

“Lieutenant Anderson!” The officer in the driver seat yelled through the window. “You know as well as I do that I’m just doing my job! If you have a problem, then talk to the Captain.” 

The police car reversed out of the driveway, headlights temporarily glared over Hank and Sumo, and Connor watched them shrink into the distance as they drove away. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So, here we are...the first chapter.
> 
> What originally started out as a series of one shots, it somehow evolved into what is potentially a long-fic. Plus, I don't think I've seen a Spy fic for this fandom yet, so I guess this is the first one of its kind on DBH? I don't know, send me the links if you find any! I love reading that kind of stuff!
> 
> If you are interested you can follow me on Tumblr for updates on my writing. My main blog is Ladypazlet.
> 
> Btw...do you guys know much about steganography? Search it up! Fascinating how you can find secret messages in pictures.
> 
> Curious? Open the above image in Notepad and you'll see what I mean.
> 
> Anyway, let me know what you think! I thrive off feedback and constructive criticism, and I would love to hear any head cannons you have.
> 
> Until then, I'll see you guys in the next update x


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